Line-casting machine.



J. R. ROGERS.

LINE CASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 11, 1910.

' 998,80, Patented July 25, 1911.

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LINE CASTING MACHINE.

A PPLIOATION FILED MAR. 11, 1910.

998,802, Patented July 25, 1911.

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JOHN R. ROGERS, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR 'lO MERGENTHALERLINOTYPE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

LINE-CASTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 11, 1910.

Patented July 25, 1911.

Serial No. 548,625.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN R. Rooms, of the borough of Brooklyn, county ofKings, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Line-Casting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference to machines for casting printing bars orslugs with type characters thereon commonly known in commerce under thetrademark Linotype, and more especially to machines in which circulatingmatrices representing individual characters are stored in magazines,released individually by finger keys, assembled temporarily in line, andfinally presented to the face of a slotted mold, where they form typecharacters on the edge of a type metal slug cast therein, the line beingthereafter presented to a distributing mechanism, by which theindividual matrices are delivered to their original magazine channels.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine of simpleorganization on the above lines; and to this end it consists in thecombination of a circular distributing mechanism with one or more flatmagazines and wit-h intermediate tubes or conductors by which theindividual matrices received from the distributor are delivered to theappropriate channels of the magazines.

t also consists in various details of construction relating to the aboveparts, and to cooperating parts in the machine.

With the exception of the parts hereinafter specifically described, themachine may be of the same general organization as that represented inLetters Patent of the United States 486,532, or of any other suitableconstruction.

In the mechanism herewith shown the transferring, justifying and castingmechanism, and the means for delivering the matrices from the castingmechanism to the distributor, may be, if desired, in all respectsidentical with those now employed in the commercial Mergenthalerlinotype machine.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is an outline perspective view ofthe prin cipal parts of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is avertical central cross section through the distributer, the matrixconductors, the magazines, and the keyboard. Fig. 3 is a perspectiveview illustrating the general construction of the distributer.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the rigid main frame, which maybe of any form and construction adapted to sustain the various operativeparts hereinafter described.

B, B represent two upright channeled magazines, adapted to receive andguide the matrices, which are received from the distributer at the upperend and delivered at the lower end to the assembling mechanism. Thesemagazines may be of any suitable. construction, but they consistpreferably of two parallel plates secured to intermediate spacingpieces, and grooved in their proximate faces to receive and guide theedges of the matrices in the manner commonly practiced in commercialMergenthaler machines of the present day, and described in LettersPatent of the United States 186,532. These magazines are provided at theupper end with sustaining arms Z), carrying rollers Z2, which bear onstationary guide rails a, attached to, or forming part of, the mainframe, the arrangement, as shown, being such that every magazine may bewithdrawn edgewise in a horizontal direction from the frame and replacedby another. At the lower end each magazine is provided with a fixedbottom plate, 5 upon which the lowermost matrices rest in order tosustain the column of matrices above. Transverse openings, 6 are madethrough both 11 agazine plates in line with the channels therein, sothat the matrices may be pushed laterally out of the inner side of themagazine by an ejector entering from the opposite side. C C representsuitable ejectors for this purpose. They consist of thin blades arrangedin two rows opposite the outer sides of the respective magazines, inposition to pass through the slots and through the lower ends of themagazines, and deliver the matrices on the opposite or inner side, thematrices from both magazines being delivered into a central orintermediate space, where they are received by the assembling deviceshereinafter described.

The ejectors C may be made of any suitable form and operated by anyappropriate mechanism. In the form shown they consist of light bladescarried by the ends of levers 0, which are mounted in horizontal pivotsc. The lower ends of these levers are arranged in two parallel ranks,one outside each magazine, and are acted upon by angular levers cpivoted at 0 and acted upon in turn by the inner end of finger keylevers D, arranged in a bank or keyboard, and representing the variouscharacters and fixed spaces. Whenever one of these keys is depressed theeffect is to actuate the corresponding ejector and deliver thecorresponding matrix horizontally from the lower end of the magazine.

For the purpose of assembling the matrices in line, I mount rigidly inthe open space between the two magazines a series of upright blades orguides E, adapted to receive the ejected matrices and guide themdownward in an erect position.

F is an inclined assembler belt extending beneath the guides E, andconstantly driven in order to receive the successive matrices as theydescend from the magazine and carry them downward one after another tothe line in course of composition. The belt F is sustained by twopulleys f and f, by one of which it may be driven.

Gr is a channeled assembler into which the matrices are delivered oneafter another, and assembled side by side in a common line, being guidedthereto by an inclined block or support H, over which they pass from thebelt end.

I is a vertical rotary wheel in which the slotted mold J is mounted.

The assembling belt, assembler G, and the wheel I, and all of theintermediate and connected parts for assembling the matrices,transferring them to the mold, and casting the slug therefrom, areforeign to the present invention, and may be of the same construction asin a commercial Mergenthaler machine, the general arrangement of theseparts, as indicated in the drawings, being that of said machines.

After the matrices have served their purpose at the mold it is necessarythat the composed lines shall be elevated and disintegrated, and thematrices delivered to the individual channels of their mazagines. Forthe purpose of elevating the lines I employ a socalled second elevatorK, a horizontal toothed bar carried by a vertically swinging arm L. Thisbar is adapted to receive the composed line from the first elevator andlift it to the top of the machine for presentation to the distributer inthe same manner that a like operation occurs in the Mergenthalermachine. My present distributer consists, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, ofa circular bar or ring, M, of V form in cross section, provided on itstwo sides with short longitudinal teeth, m, to engage correspondingteeth in the upper ends of the matrices N, and sustain the latter asthey are carried around the bar until they arrive individually over thecorresponding tubes or channels, 0, which conduct them to the magazine.The teeth of the bar are permuted in the same manner as that used incommercial Mergenthaler machines and described in Letters Patent of theUnited States 347,629, or in any similar manner, and the teeth of thematrices N will be permuted to correspond, so that the matrices,delivered successively at a common point to the bar and carried alongthe same in engagement therewith, will be sustained individually untilthey arrive at the proper point for release, where for the first timeall of the teeth of the matrix will be released by the teeth of the bar.

The distributer bar is arranged in a horizontal position and sustainedby one or more rigid supports, m. For the purpose of moving the matricesalong the distributer bar to the points of discharge I provide anoverlying horizontal wheel, P, turning about a central axis, p, andprovided with a series of dependent pins, 7), which extend clownward,passing the inner and outer sides of the distributer bar, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2, in such manner as to engage the matrices suspended fromthe bar.

The matrices are presented to the distributer bar and the carrying wheelin the manner following. Q is a stationary horizontal guide or channelhaving one end in position to receive the line of matrices hori zontallyfrom the elevator K when the lat ter is in its uppermost position, thedelivery of the line to this guide being effected by a horizontal pusherslide R. The inner end of the guide Q lies beneath the distributer barin such position that the individual matrices may be lifted from theinner end of the line between the carrier fingers p and into engagementwith the teeth of the distributer bar. This lifting action is effectedby a vertically reciprocating finger, S, carried at one end of an arm,8, mounted on a horizontal rock shaft, 8, the arrangement being suchthat the finger lifts the successive matrices from the line as thelatter is urged constantly forward. This lifting finger and its adjunctsmay be identical with those used for a like purpose in commercialMergenthaler machines, or may be of any other wheel. Under thisarrangement the delivery of the matrices at the proper time and place isinsured. Motion may be communicated to the pin wheel by means of a shaftT and the bevel gears 25 and s, or by any other suitable means.

It is necessary that the matrices released by the distributer bar, andfalling therefrom at different points in its length, shall be guidedpositively into their appropriate channels in the respective magazines.For this purpose I employ the previously mentioned tubes or conductorsO, secured to the main frame in two straight parallel rows above therespective magazines. The tubes of each row have their lower endsarranged in position to deliver the matrices into the channels of themagazines, and their upper ends arranged in a curved row beneath thedistributer bar, and in such relations to the latter as to receive atdifferent points the matrices intended for different channels. It willbe observed that the conducting tubes 0 which have their lower ends in astraight and their upper ends in a curved row, are variously curved tothis end..

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The operator manipulatesthe finger keys D in the order in which the corresponding characters andspaces are required to appear in the composed line. The keys cause theejector C to push the corresponding matrices laterally out of themagazine into the intermediate space, where they descend between theguides E to the assembling belt F, by which they are deliveredsuccessively, over the block H, into the assembler G, where they areassembled or composed side by side in an upright position in a commonline. When the composition of the line is completed it is transferred bythe ordinary mechanism, foreign to the present invention, to the mold J,and thereafter to the elevator K, by which the line is raised andpresented opposite the guide Q, into which it is delivered endwise bythe advance of the slide R, which applies a continued pressure to theline. The matrices are lifted successively from the inner end of theline by the finger S to the distributer bar M, between the pins 79, 79.As the matrices are carried forward their teeth engage those of thedistributer bar, from which they are suspended until they arrive overthe mouths of the respective tubes 0, into which they fall, and throughwhich they descend by gravity into the upper ends of the appropriatechan nels of the magazine.

It will be observed that either magazine may be removed independently ofthe other and replaced by another containing a different font or set ofmatrices.

It is to be noted that my invention is not limited to the specificdevices shown for delivering the matrices from the magazine.

Any suitable devices operated in connection with the keyboard may beused for this pur pose, the only requirement being that the matricesshall be released from the lower ends of the magazine so that they maybe directed to a common assembling mechanism.

It will be perceived that the distributer ring may be made of anydesired diameter, and that the upper ends of the tubes 0 may be widenedor flared in order to permit the free entrance of the matrices, thisfeature being of decided advantage when matrices of great thickness areemployed.

lVhile I have shown two magazines in connection with the one distributermechanism, it is to be understood that either magazine may be omitted,or that the number of magazines may be increased, the only requirementbeing that the tubes O should be so shaped and arranged as to deliverthe matrices from the circular distributer to the magazine or magazines,the tubes being given such curvature that they will deliver to themagazines whatever the number or form of the letters may be.

The general organization herein shown and claimed is advantageous, inthat it comprises within a reasonable space: 1, a distributer of alength sufficient to directly distribute matrices of two fonts to twomagazines; 2, magazines which are cheap and simple, and adapted forinstantaneous removal; 3, the straight and direct delivery of thematrices released from the magazine to the line in course ofcomposition, so that the time of travel of the matrices may be equalizedand transpositions avoided when the machine is operated at high speed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a line casting machine including circulating matrices, thecombination of a flat magazine comprising a series of matrix channelsarranged in a common plane, a circular distributer above the magazine,and intermediate tubes adapted to receive the matrices from thedistributer at different points and deliver them to the respectivechannels of the magazine.

2. In a line casting machine the combination of two flat, uprightmagazines, each comprising a series of matrix channels ar ranged in acommon plane, an overlying circular distributer for the matrices, andintermediate matrix guides or channels, having their upper ends arrangedbeneath the distributer and their lower ends arranged over theindividual channels of the magazines.

8. In a line casting machine the combination of a main frame, an uprightflat channeled magazine mounted therein and comprising a series ofmatrix channels mounted in a common plane and arranged to be withdrawnedgewise therefrom, an overlying circular distributor, and intermediateguides for directing the matrices from the distributer to the channelsof the magazine, said guides being supported independently of themagazine.

4:. In a line casting machine, in combination, a circular distributerbar, a rotary wheel provided with means for advancing the matrices alongthe distributer bar, a guide for supporting the composed line ofmatrices beneath the distributer, a lifting finger to carry theindividual matrices from the line to the dist-ributer, and connectionsbetween said finger and the matrix carrying means, whereby the action ofthe finger is properly timed with reference to the carrying means.

5. in a line casting machine, the combination of two upright, parallelmagazines, means for delivering the matrices laterally from themagazines directly into the space between them, upright matrix guides,E, located in said space to receive the matrices and maintain them in anupright position during their descent, an assembler to receive thematrices, and a carrier belt, F, arranged to receive the matrices fromthe guides E and deliver them to the assembler.

6. In a line casting machine, the combination of two upright magazines,means for delivering the matrices from the magazines directly into thespace between them, up right matrix guides located in said space betweenthe magazines, and transferring devices located beneath the guides toreceive the matrices therefrom.

7. In a line casting machine, the combination of a fiat magazinecomprising a series of matrix channels arranged in a common plane, acircular distributer above the magazine, and means to convey thematrices from the distributer to the respective channels of themagazine. a

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of December,1909, in the presence of two attesting witnesses.

JOHN R. ROGERS.

Witnesses:

DAVID S. KENNEDY, LUCY E. SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

